Helmets in Women's Lax? USL, Fans Respond to Heady Debate

An ESPN "E:60" segment last week examined a reportedly
high incidence of concussions in girls' lacrosse. The sports news
magazine show segment, produced by Tom Farrey, featured two injured
girls' high school players from Pittsburgh (Pa.) and suggested that
hard helmets should be incorporated into the women’s
game.

US Lacrosse, the national governing body of men's and women's
lacrosse, issued a response Wednesday morning after the
segment aired Tuesday night. USL stressed the importance of having
properly educated coaches and officials, rather than helmets, in
the segment and in its response.

Among points made in its response are:

* Research shows that helmets do not necessarily prevent
concussions and that the incidence of concussions in girls'
lacrosse is no higher than other female sports, like soccer.
* USL funds the only lacrosse-specific high school injury study in
the country with a larger, more robust sample size than that which
was cited in the segment.
* Pittsburgh is a developing lacrosse area with a shortage of
properly-trained coaches and officials.
* USL has adjusted rules for the 2010-11 season to include
stricter penalties for major fouls, including checks to the
head.
* USL is investigating the development of women's
lacrosse-specific manufacturing standards for soft protective
headgear, which are allowed within the current rules.

Earlier this year, Lacrosse Magazine Online polled fans for
their response to the issue. Should helmets be required in women's
lacrosse? Here's what some of you said.

Ann CarpenettiUS Lacrosse Women’s Division DirectorBaltimore, Md.
Helmets should not be mandated for field players in women’s
lacrosse at this time for several reasons. The women’s game
is different than the men’s game. In terms of its history,
rules, penalties for contact and equipment — women’s
lacrosse is different enough that some leaders in the game have
even offered that the women’s game might be better served if
it was not even called lacrosse at all. Baggataway anyone?
Women’s lacrosse is a safe sport. The women’s game has
been played in the U.S. without helmets since 1913 and, until six
years ago, without any protective equipment (other than mouth
guards). According to the NFHS Concussion Rates by Sport and Type
of Exposure in the 2008-09 High School Sports-Related Injury
Surveillance Study, women’s lacrosse ranks fifth for
head/face injuries behind soccer, basketball, softball and field
hockey — the lowest rate among all field sports reviewed and
third for concussions behind soccer and basketball. Helmets do not
prevent concussions. For those who want additional protection on
the field, according to the US Lacrosse rulebook, women are
permitted to wear soft helmets — which may help lessen the
severity of head trauma and facial lacerations. More comprehensive
and conclusive research of concussion prevention in youth sports in
order to make the case for additional rule changes that include
more protective equipment in women’s lacrosse. Additional
protective equipment does not address the unsafe playing conditions
that manifest when inconsistently trained coaches and umpires are
on the field incorrectly teaching and enforcing the rules of
women’s lacrosse. The problem is not simply the lack of
equipment — it is also the lack of properly trained coaches
and officials in our game. No helmet will change the fact that only
eight states in the country require sport-specific coaching
education for high school level coaches. Coaches, umpires, players
and administrators all need to work together and share in the
responsibility our sport requires to maintain safety. US Lacrosse
offers the only lacrosse-specific standardized coaches’
education curriculum in the country, and coaches can get started
today at www.uslacrosse.org.

Adam EdgingtonDes Moines, Iowa
While helmets would take away the femininity of the game, it is
probably time to bring them in. Girls seem to be getting bigger and
stronger, just like boys. In fact, this may be the time to
reconsider the girls' game and bring it more in line with the male
version. Using the same field dimensions and lines would be a good
start. While I am not advocating the physical contact or pocket
depth of men's lacrosse, I do think certain rule changes to the
women’s game would benefit both versions. But more
importantly, the use of helmets in women’s lacrosse would
increase the safety on the field and minimize the risks associated
with a solid rubber ball flying at high speeds.

Andi GwinPasadena, Md.
No! I think players need to be taught how to check properly and if
a player slashes or contacts an opponent’s body/head with her
stick, she should face more serious consequences from coaches and
officials.

Andrew BrownPlano, Texas
I would say yes, women need helmets with these concussions
happening. One wrong check, and you could have a scraped cheek,
broken cheek or nose even. I don't think its right to have a rubber
ball flying around without people wearing head protection. Believe
me, I've been hit enough in the head!

Aubrey BausumAlpharetta, Ga.
No, girls should not have to wear helmets, because it can be
played safely with out helmets.Carmen TaplinHillsboro, Ore.
No helmets. It will make the game more dangerous. People will be
less conscious of how hard and where they are checking if helmets
were worn.

Conor DarbyHaverhill, Mass.
Yes. Helmets are so, so important. Head trauma is a major problem
and it’s on the rise. I personally think girls should wear
helmets because I know people who have gotten major problems from
being hit in the head, either accidentally or on purpose. I think
that if the girls wear helmets, it can keep everyone safer. It
lightens a load on the parents. Since we play the same game with
the same ball and same stick, I think we should share all the same
equipment.

Darla DavisFort Wayne, Ind.
Absolutely not. A brief reflection on the history of lacrosse,
both men's and women's, shows that as more protective equipment is
added, the game becomes proportionately rougher and more dangerous.
Both sports began with similar roots and very little equipment,
besides a stick and a ball. The men's game, refined in Canada,
began to look like and be played more like ice hockey, with
increasing physical contact. The women's game stayed truer to the
roots of the sport and remained a more fluid and skillful game,
even as the men's game became more collision centered. Eye-guards,
which are designed to protect the eyes from catastrophic collisions
with the ball, have also led to players having less respect for
opponents heads and faces -- as well as their own! Helmets will
only continue to erode the respect that players have for their own
and their opponent’s safety. The two games, men's and women's
lacrosse, are each beautiful in their own way, but they are two
distinct sports and should remain that way. Just because basketball
or soccer are played the same by both men and women doesn't mean
that lacrosse should follow. It's time to take pride in each of our
sports, men's and women's lacrosse, not bow to those who think they
should be the same. After all, no one has said that men's lacrosse
should remove their helmets and their violent collisions to be
safer and more like the women's game.

Elson LopezHialeah, Fla.
Personally, I think women’s lacrosse players should wear
helmets. I mean, maybe lightweight helmets. The goalie wears one.
Why not the attack, middies and defense? In women’s lacrosse,
they have to check the stick. Even us guys have gotten three or
four penalties a game because of a slash. I’d imagine for
women, it’s so hard for them to get the ball out of the
opponent’s stick, so they get scored on so many times. If the
women’s lacrosse players get helmets, I would say they wear
lightweight, bicycle-type helmets. If not, regular helmets will
do.

Grant SwaneyPotomac Falls, Va.
Since I play men's lacrosse at a very competitive level, helmets
save my life on a daily basis. Since women's lacrosse has an
increasing amount of head injuries, helmets can be crucial in the
sport. Some of my friends that play women's lacrosse can become a
lot more fun if they were able to play a little bit more aggressive
defense. It could change the game of lacrosse in so many ways.

Grant AnhornHouston, Texas
Yeah. Some of my friends play women’s lacrosse and they
always complain that the balls hit them in the head. When they play
checking games, sometimes they will get hit in the head.

Hillary TillesPotomac, Md.
I believe that women’s lacrosse is way too strict and that
it should be played like the boys do. So what if we are girls who
do our nails and shop? We like to get down, dirty and aggressive
too! Women should wear helmets if and only if we are allowed to
hit. Otherwise, if you get hit, suck it up and play.

Jessica KeibWallingford, Conn.
Being a young student athlete, my heath and safety are among the
top priorities in achieving excellence in everything that I do.
While playing a game, or sport that I love, I want to feel the
comfort and safety in knowing that I will be OK. Lacrosse is a
sport that makes me feel alive inside. Determination and ambition
help me to strive to be the best on the team. However, recently,
I’ve been having some health issues that don’t impact
my athletic skills, but my attitude in lacrosse. Instead of feeling
alive and free to play the sport I love, I feel held back by a gut
feeling of nervousness. I have ocular migraines that look like
seizures. If I get hit in the head with a ball or stick, I
don’t know what could happen. Doctors don’t know how to
stop the onset of my headaches, or stop the pain I feel when having
them. I pass out from the pain and, if I’m playing right wing
attack and take a hit to the head, pass out… I’m
afraid of what can happen to me. My father played lacrosse in high
school and shattered his hand because of the lack of protection his
gloves offered him. He could no longer play lacrosse in college. I
don’t want this to happen to me. It’s only going to
take one unfortunate death or serious injury for people to see that
girls need helmets. We use the same ball, same stick as men. Why
not prevent an injury before it happens, and create protection for
the one thing we need in every situation: our brain?

Jim CerasoSeaford, N.Y.
Helmets are a must.

Judie LeutemMinneapolis, Minn.
Only if they will start allowing more body contact during the
game. Otherwise they are not needed. I've seen worse head injuries
in soccer when two players go for the header.

Karen CelmerNorth Liberty, Ind.
I understand that women can’t check, but last year, I had a
girl on my team get a concussion from taking a pass to the goggles.
It was from about 10 feet away. I think that helmets may be safer
than just goggles. Although some people may not like the helmets,
thinking that it will give girls the right to check, etc., I
disagree. I think that the safety added would be a fantastic thing
to have, since I know no one wants to have lasting brain effects
from a concussion.

Katie LasaterMalvern, Pa.
Absolutely not.

Liz RobertshawHead Coach
Boston University
No, women should not be in helmets, because it promotes checks to
the head. There becomes a, "Well, they're wearing a helmet. It
won't hurt," mentality. Don't believe it? Look at how players go
after goalies and look at the allowable checking in the men’s
game around the head.

Mary HopkinsOrlando, Fla.
The girls’ game of lacrosse needs to be seen as a separate
sport from the male game. Seeing them as the same game puts this
issue as a more worthwhile topic than it actually is. Statistics
have shown that helmets do not prevent concussions. (Hence, the
reason football players get concussions.) With proper enforcement
of the rules already in place, the women's game can be preserve in
its safe current status. Finesse, speed and skill are required to
play the game. It is a sport that does not require a great deal of
body contact to be played correctly. Keen intuition and strategy
are key ingredients. We must all do our part, as fans, coaches and
officials, to preserve the integrity of the sport. Although parents
and coaches bring up the issue of helmets, how many times have you
heard them yell at the officials to "just let 'em play!" when there
is a safety call made? Let's all support the rules of the game,
which are the key components to its safety, by being coaches of
integrity, officials who call it like they see it and fans who want
this great sport of ours to continue.

Melissa BurdetteCharleston, W.V.
I just can’t accept the sport should be attacked in this
way. I believe the integrity of the sport would be completely
destroyed. There are inherent risks to every aspect in life. Just
as in life, we do our best to be safe. We as coaches do the same. I
feel if we add helmets to our sport, we should just scrap the game
and all play boys’ lacrosse.

Michael ChristensonEagan, Minn.
Helmets are a great idea, even if the rules are not changed for
the style of play. Accidents happen. Wild ball always has the
opportunity to smack a player, same with the crosse. It may be
accidental, but we could really save the chances of severe injury
here. It makes sense! The lacrosse balls are not soft, and I would
hate to see anyone hit anywhere in the head by a stick.

Michelle A.Marietta, Ga.
I think we should stick to goggles. This is girls’ lacrosse,
not boys’. The helmets will make us play like them and cause
even more injuries.

Mike TobinOrlando, Fla.
Helmets would take away from the skill of the women’s game.
Instead, we need to focus on better coaching and reffing. Coaches
need to teach their players how to check correctly and be in
control of their stick. Refs need better training on what a
controlled and uncontrolled check is. If those two things happen,
then there would be no need for helmets. Once you introduce
helmets, gloves and pads will surely follow. When that happens, the
beauty of the ladies’ game is gone.

Peter WhiteShepherdstown, W.V.
I know I don't speak for all girls’ lacrosse players, but I
would think that they want to just strap up the gear and just play
guys’ lacrosse. Same in girls’ hockey, where they're
not allowed to check, and I'm sure they would like to be able to.
It seems somewhat sexist that the girls’ version of these two
sports doesn't allow contact. Let women play men's lacrosse!
(Unless they would prefer to play women's.)

Rich GregerMillersville, Md.
No. It’s just an overreaction because one player gets hurt.
Call the rules that are in place on a consistent basis, and
everyone will be fine.

Sam AdlerSaratoga Springs, N.Y.
If the women’s game were to change to mandatory helmets,
then the game should just be turned to the same game as the
men’s -- with full contact, such as hockey is for men and
women. It would only make sense to do so.

Sammi GormanNew York, N.Y.
Helmets in women’s lacrosse? Well, the answer to this
question is quite debatable. It depends on what direction the
women’s game is headed in. Part of the reason for the
difference in the women’s game is due to the
“feminizing” of the sport when it came over from
Europe. Americans were too appalled that the women’s game
would resemble the brutality of the men’s game. Thus, the
women’s game was established as a non-contact sport, based
more on skill than physical strength. However, in the past few
years, we have seen an increase in contact allowed in the
women’s game. Not to mention the speed and power produced by
some of the more powerful attack players. So the initial solution
is to introduce helmets. However, if we do that, then what is next?
Mandatory gloves? Shoulder pads? It could be only a matter of time
until the women’s game is transformed into the men’s
game. I as a player believe we need to keep the individuality and
finesse of the women’s game. If the current trend of
increased contact continues, more safety equipment will be
necessary. Perhaps a different type of helmet is a better solution.
Something that can protect the head, but also have an aesthetic
appeal. The addition of a helmet does not mean the women’s
game has to become a replica of the men’s. Keep the
women’s game feminine and unique. That applies to the rules
and the gear.

Samuel RyanMountain View, Calif.
I believe helmets would change women’s lacrosse too much.
The thing that separates men's lacrosse and women's lacrosse is the
pads. Men's lacrosse is a game of brute force and athleticism.
(Will Yeatman is a perfect example of that.) Women's lacrosse is a
game of finesse, with more precision checks and, of course, the
shallower pockets. I think helmets would be too much of a drastic
change to women's lacrosse.

Sean BowlerMonroe, Conn.
Helmets, yes, as a first step to aligning the girls’ game
much more closely with the boys’ game. I'd cite the example
of women's and men's ice hockey. Same game, same rules, minus the
hitting and checking. I mean really, shooting space violation? Get
real. I had a U-15 girl whistled last season for taking a dangerous
shot at a goalie. Really?! I think that if you polled every
girls’ lax player in the country, you'd get an overwhelming
response that they want to play the boys’ game. There’s
your polling question!

Steven ReburnLancaster, Pa.
I think that it would be a good idea if women would wear helmets.
It would cut down on injuries and make the game more
interesting.

William LaneCentennial, Colo.
I don’t think that girls should have to wear helmets. Having
girls wear helmets would, yes, protect the players more, but change
the whole aspect of the game. Girls’ lacrosse is more of a
finesse game than boys’. Girls move the ball around, while
boys pound the ball. Girls pass the ball to get the best shot,
while boys dodge and take it to the hole strong. Girls’
lacrosse is fun to watch at the high levels, but only if you
understand the girls’ game of lacrosse is much different than
the boys’. Plus, if you make them wear helmets, then you
would have to allow more contact. Otherwise, the helmets are only
to protect from getting hit with the ball.